Mai Trung Thứ (1906–1980): The Poet of Vietnamese Modernism

Promotion I (1925–1930) — École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine

Born in 1906 near Haiphong, Mai Trung Thứ was educated at the Lycée Français of Hanoi before joining the first class of the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine, founded and directed by Victor Tardieu. Alongside his peers Lê Phổ, Vũ Cao Đàm, and Lê Văn Dệ, he became one of the pioneering figures of modern Vietnamese painting.

Invited to take part in the Exposition Coloniale of 1931, he discovered France, where he would eventually settle in 1937 and remain for the rest of his life. Though deeply influenced by his French teachers notably Tardieu and Joseph Inguimberty Mai Trung Thứ preserved a profoundly Vietnamese artistic identity, reflected in both his subjects and his techniques.

He soon abandoned oil painting to devote himself to gouache and ink on silk, a distinctively Asian medium that allowed him to explore a refined visual language rooted in Chinese and Vietnamese tradition.

Recognizing a Work by Mai Trung Thứ

A lover of music and harmony, Mai Trung Thứ frequently depicted scenes filled with musical instruments, domestic intimacy, and poetic serenity. His works often capture fleeting, idealized moments graceful Vietnamese women, children at play, or peaceful family gatherings bathed in a soft, timeless light.

• Silk painting using transparent layers of ink and color, creating a luminous and delicate texture.

• Soft pastel palette — pinks, greens, and ochres — enhancing the serenity of his compositions.

• Elegantly stylized figures, often women and children, rendered with tender emotion.

• Themes of femininity, music, childhood, and family, imbued with nostalgia and poetic restraint.

• A recurring interplay between tradition and modernity, bridging East and West.

His paintings evoke a dreamlike calm moments suspended between memory and reverie, balancing precision with emotional subtlety.

Mai Trung Thứ on the Art Market: Artist’s Value and Auction Estimates

Mai Trung Thứ’s works continue to captivate collectors worldwide. Prices range depending on the technique, period, and provenance. His silk paintings, in particular, are among the most sought-after works in the international market for modern Vietnamese art.

His most successful works are the intimate domestic scenes women playing musical instruments, children, and idealized portraits of women particularly those produced between the 1940s and 1970s, his mature Parisian period.

Over the past fifteen years, Mai Trung Thứ’s market value has risen dramatically, with record prices achieved.

Highlights of Works Sold at Aguttes

• En plein air, daily life scene — sold for over €820,000

• Le Jeu and Le Bain — each sold for more than €200,000

• Mme M. C. devant un paravent, preparatory drawing in pencil and charcoal on paper, signed — sold for over €29,000

These results confirm Mai Trung Thứ’s position as one of the most highly valued Vietnamese painters on the global market today.

Selling a Work by Mai Trung Thứ

Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, author of Le renouveau de l’art moderne en Indochine and expert at Aguttes for over 15 years, offers her deep knowledge of this artistic movement and market to French and European sellers and predominantly Vietnamese collectors.

She appraises mostly unpublished works, including modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures, and travels across France and Europe in collaboration with Aguttes’ regional offices.

You can submit your free and confidential valuation request with photographs, a detailed description, and any relevant documents via the online form or directly by email to our expert.

The department organizes four annual auctions dedicated to artists of the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine.

The Aguttes Asian Painters Department

As a historic leader in the Asian art market, Aguttes provides trusted expertise for private and institutional clients, ensuring world-record prices and secure transactions under French auction law.

The Asian Painters Department regularly presents sales dedicated to the great modern Vietnamese masters:
Lê Phổ, Nguyễn Phan Chánh, Mai Trung Thứ, Vũ Cao Đàm, Trần Văn Thọ, Phạm Hầu, and many others.

Contact our expert today to receive a free valuation of your work by Mai Trung Thứ and benefit from personalized guidance throughout the auction process.

Lumières sur des œuvres vendues de Mai Trung Thứ chez Aguttes

Une œuvre de scène de vie quotidiennes, comme "En plein air" a été vendue plus de 820 000€.

"Le Jeu" ou encore "Le bain" ont été vendues plus de 200 000€.

Une étude préparatoire pour "Mme M. C. devant un paravent", crayon et fusain sur papier, signée, a été vendue plus de 29 000€.

Vendre aux enchères une œuvre de Mai Trung Thứ

Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, auteur du livre Le renouveau de l'art moderne en Indochine, et expert pour Aguttes depuis plus de 15 ans, met à la disposition des vendeurs français et européens et des acheteurs majoritairement vietnamiens, sa formidable connaissance de ce mouvement et de ce marché. Elle expertise des objets et œuvres majoritairement inédites, peintures et sculptures modernes ou contemporaines. Notre expert se déplace en France et dans toute l’Europe en collaboration avec nos bureaux de représentation en région.

Vous pouvez également en amont d'un rendez-vous transmettre votre demande d'estimation accompagnée du descriptif, des photos et de tous documents disponibles relatifs à l'œuvre via le formulaire disponible en ligne, ou directement par mail à notre expert.

Le département organise en moyenne 4 ventes dédiées aux artistes de l'école des Beaux-arts de l'Indochine.

Leader historique sur le marché des artistes venus d’Asie, Aguttes représente pour chaque vendeur particulier ou professionnel le tiers de confiance qui lui garantit l’obtention du meilleur prix et l’atteinte de records mondiaux sur un marché exigeant. Une équipe de proximité s’assure du paiement final de chaque œuvre dont la vente aux enchères est régie par la législation française. 

Le département Peintres d'Asie Aguttes présente régulièrement des ventes consacrées aux grands artistes vietnamiens modernes : Lê Phổ, Nguyễn Phan Chánh, Mai Trung Thứ, Vũ Cao Đàm, Trần Văn Thọ, Phạm Hầu, et bien d’autres.

Contactez notre expert pour obtenir l'estimation gratuite de votre œuvre de Mai Trung Thứ